Objective: To investigate the protective effects of xuebijing (XBJ, Traditional Chinese Medicine Complex) injection on cardiac function in rats with myocardial hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R) injury.
Methods: The isolated langendorff perfused rat heart model was established. One hundred and thirty SD rats were randomly divided into sham group, hypoxia/reoxygenation group, low dose XBJ(XBJL) group, middle dose XBJ(XBJM) group and high dose XBJ(XBJH) group. All groups except sham group were divided into three subgroups according to reoxygenation time(0.5 h,1 h, 2 h) (n=10). In sham group, left ventricular development pressure(LVDP), maximal rates of increase/decrease of the left ventricular pressure(±dp/dtmax), left ventricular pressure (LVP), and heart rates (HR) were recorded after 20 minutes balance perfusion. The creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) in myocardium was detected by ELISA. In other groups, after 20 minutes balance perfusion, we perfused ThomasⅡto stop the hearts from beating for 30 minutes, then reperfused the K-H until hearts recover beating. The microstructure of myocardium was observed under light microscopy. LVDP, ±dp/dtmax, LVP and HR were continuously recorded in other four groups and the concentrations of CK-MB in myocardium were measured by ELISA at different time points after reoxygenation. Microstructure of myocardium in each group were observed under light microscopy.
Results: LVDP, ±dp/dtmax, LVP and HR of other groups were significantly lower than those of sham group(P<0.05). The levels of CK-MB were higher than that of sham group(P<0.05). LVDP, ±dp/dtmax, LVP and HR of XBJL, XBJM and XBJH groups were higher than those of I/R group at corresponding time points after reoxygenation(P<0.05). The levels of CK-MB were lower than that of I/R group(P<0.05) and the cardiac function was improved. The middle dose of XBJ had the best protective effect.
Conclusions: Xuebijing injection can effectively improve cardiac function and structure in rats with myocardial hypoxia/reoxygenation injury, and middle dose of XBJ is the best.
Keywords: cardiac function; cardiac structure; hypoxia/reoxygenation; myocardium; rats; xuebijing (Traditional Chinese Medicine complex) injection.